Device for fixing a valve to a tubular member

ABSTRACT

A device for fixing a valve ( 1 ) to a tubular member ( 2 ) being situated in wellbore formed in a subterranean reservoir and is having at least one drainage section ( 11 ) including a plurality of such valves as to allow the flow of fluid into and out from the tubular member, respectively. According to the present invention the valve ( 2 ) is secured to the tubular member ( 1 ) by means of a sleeve portion ( 3 ), the sleeve portion being part of the valve or is formed like a separate sleeve ( 4 ) into which the valve is to be arranged.

The present invention relates to a device for fixing a valve to atubular member, in particular valves being adapted to control the flowof fluid out from or into a subterranean reservoir.

When valves are to be mounted to tubular members, practice has shownthat difficulties are easily occurring. Problems arise in finding aappropriate and simple way for the fixation as such. It is nor obviousthat the valves remain in a fixed position during situations in whichthe tubular member is lowered into a wellbore or a workover tool isrunning therethrough.

Therefore, a main object is to provide for simple and cost-effectivemounting of the valves radially through the wall of the tubular memberor axially disposed therein. It is also an object to provide for afixation involving the valves are not susceptible of beingunintentionally detached from the tubular member but, if needed, also isable of being removed, e.g. to replace a damaged valve in situ.

These objects are achieved by a device for fixing a valve to a tubularmember being situated in wellbore formed in a subterranean reservoir andis having at least one drainage section including a plurality of suchvalves as to allow the flow of fluid into and out from the tubularmember, respectively, distinguishing itself in that the valve is securedto the tubular member by means of a sleeve portion, the sleeve portionbeing part of the valve or is formed like a separate socket into whichthe valve is to be arranged. Favourable embodiments are specified in thedependent patent claims and are, briefly spoken, involving that thevalve can be secured by means of threads and/or at least one weld, bestabilised by using an insert in an area between the valve and tubularmember, be mounted in level with or above or below the outer or innersurface of the tubular member, and be mounted in an radial or axialdirection to the tubular member.

Now, the present invention is to be described more in detail withreference to preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, inwhich:

FIGS. 1 a-c show schemically embodiments of a valve having a sleeveportion used when securing the valve to a tubular member by means ofthreads;

FIGS. 2 a-b depict schemically another embodiments similar to FIGS. 1a-c but the threads have been replaced by at least one weld;

FIGS. 3 a-b illustrate schematically yet another embodiments includingan insert adapted to the curvature of the tubular presenting a flatsurface for a valve flange;

FIGS. 4 a-c show schemically still another embodiments using a separatesocket securing the valve to the tubular member;

FIGS. 5 a-b depict in perspective the valve being secured in a drainagesection of the tubular member;

FIGS. 6 a-c illustrate schemically still another embodiments includingan inner lining; and

FIGS. 7 a-b show schemically embodiments in which the sleeve is situatedinside the tubular member.

At first, some general observations are to been given. As illustrated inFIG. 5 a, an autonomous or self-adjusting valve or flow controlapparatus according to WO-A₁ 2008/004875 is used to exemplify one of allsorts of valves 1 applicable for the present invention. Even though FIG.5 b shows a tubular member with a drainage section 21 extending in ahorizontal direction, this fact is not involving the exclusion ofdrainage sections orientated in other directions such as vertical,deviated, etc. Except in FIGS. 7 a-b, all of the valves are allowing thefluid to flow into the tubular member. The present invention can also beused with valves being situated in the opposite direction and, thus,allowing the flow of fluid out of the drainage section into ansubterranean formation during injection. It is understood that acombination of valves orientated in both directions is within the scopeof the present invention involving the tubular member can be used duringboth production and injection. In the drawings the valve is not depictedin a correct scale but enlarged to clarify the details thereof. Thevalve can be customised for any needs, e.g. with a height correspondingto the wall of the tubular member.

As already mentioned above, the present device is developed for thefixation a valve 1 to a tubular member 2 to control the flow of fluidout from or into a subterranean reservoir, not shown. Thus, the tubularmember is to be situated in a wellbore formed in such subterraneanreservoirs to produce hydrocarbons, for instance, or inject variousinjection fluids out from and into the reservoir, respectively. Thetubular member is having at least one drainage section 11 including aplurality of such valves as to allow the flow of fluid into or out fromthe tubular member. According to the present invention each of thevalves is secured to the tubular member by means of a sleeve portion 3,and the sleeve portion is an integrated part of the valve, i.e. amonolithic component thereof, or is formed like a separate socket 4; 4′into which the valve is to be arranged.

According to a first embodiment the valve has a sleeve portion 3, seeFIGS. 1 a-c, being part of the valve and arranged at a valve shaft 36.The sleeve portion is provided with threads 31, and a bore through thetubular member is having complementary threads, not depicted. The valveis fastened by screwing the threads into one another. To enhance theconnection between the valve and tubular member, a suitable glue orsoldering can be used supplementary to the threads 31, not illustrated.Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG, 1 c, a weld 32 can arranged in anarea between the tubular member and valve. It should be noted that thedotted lines do not specify an inner wall of the valve shaft but onlythe horizontal extension of the threads 31.

As an alternative embodiment, see FIGS. 2 a-b, the sleeve portion 3 isfastened using a weld 33 totally filling the gap between the sleeveportion and tubular member or both a wedge weld 34 and weld deposit 35.In such a case the valve shaft can be formed without any threads.

According to FIGS. 3 a-b a further embodiment corresponding to the oneabove is having an insert 5 arranged in an area between the valve flange11 and tubular member 2. The insert levels for the curvature of thetubular member and is providing a flat base for the valve flange 11which involves a more robust fixation. Both the valve flange and insertare provided with seals 12, 52 of appropriate kind, for instance but notexclusively an O-ring, arranged in grooves or the like. The insert canbe made from any suitable materials. If an elastomer is used, the sealscan be omitted.

The sleeve portion 3 must necessarily not be formed in level with theouter surface of the valve shaft 36 but can, if needed, extend outsidethis surface, not illustrated. Such a configuration is useful in case ofan elastomeric insert 5 including a bushing made from metal to preventover-tightening of the valve 1, not illustrated.

In yet another embodiment, see FIGS. 4 a-c, the sleeve portion is formedby a separate socket 4 in which threads 41 are formed in a surfacefacing the valve shaft 36. The socket 4 as such is secured to thetubular member 2 by means of a suitable weld, and the threads 41 areformed complementary to the threads in the valve 31 enabling screwingthe valve 1 and socket into one another. As mentioned above, the threadconnection can be supplemented by a glue or soldering. A suitable seal43 is arranged in an area between the socket and valve flange 11, e.g.in a groove or the like. To enable mounting below an outer surface ofthe tubular member 2, the socket 4 is provided with a recess 44, seeFIGS. 4 b-c. As an alternative to threads the socket can provided with agroove 45 to accommodate the valve flange 11 and a lock ring 45fastening the valve in a releasable manner within the socket.

To prevent a lower portion of the valve 1 from making a sharp egde whichis able to destory objects being lowered into the tubular member 2, forinstance, an inner lining 6 is provided to surround this lower portionextending below an inner surface of the tubular member. As depicted inFIGS. 6 b-c, the lining can be formed like a separate lining andmonolithic part of the tubular member, respectively. Particulary whenformed monolithically, the tubular member is provided with a recess 22enabling the valve to be situated below the outer surface thereof.

Normally, the valves 1 are arranged in a radial direction through thetubular member 2 but there can be situations in which the valves are tobe axially mounted inside the tubular member, e.g. to control the flowof fluid in a branch pipe and the like. Then, as illustrated by FIGS. 7a-b, the socket is orientated in a longitudinal direction inside thetubular member and secured in any proper manner against the innersurface thereof. In an alternative the socket is formed by a partition47 having more than one opening therethrough to accommodate the valves.It is understood that variaos features from the embodiments above areapplicable also in this instance and are, therefore, not to be repeated.

1. A device for fixing a valve to a tubular member being situated inwellbore formed in a subterranean reservoir and having at least onedrainage section including a plurality of such valves to allow the flowof fluid into and out from the tubular member, respectively, wherein thevalve is secured to the tubular member by means of a sleeve portion, thesleeve portion being part of the valve or being formed like a separatesocket into which the valve is to be arranged.
 2. The device accordingto claim 1, wherein the sleeve portion comprises threads formedperipherally in an outer surface of the valve.
 3. The device accordingto claim 2, wherein the connection of threads is supplemented by a glueor soldering.
 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the connectionof threads is supplemented by a weld arranged in an area between thetubular member and valve.
 5. The device according to claim 1, whereinthe sleeve portion is fastened using a weld totally filling the gapbetween the sleeve portion and tubular member or alternatively both awedge weld and weld deposit.
 6. The device according to claim 1, whereinan insert is arranged in an area between the valve flange and tubularmember.
 7. The device according to claim 6, wherein a seal is arrangedin the insert and/or valve flange.
 8. The device according to claim 1,wherein when formed like a separate socket, the sleeve portion isprovided with threads formed in a surface facing the valve.
 9. Thedevice according to claim 8, wherein the socket is secured to thetubular member by means of a weld.
 10. The device according to claim 9,wherein a seal is arranged in an area between the sleeve and valveflange.
 11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the socket isprovided with a recess enabling the valve to be situated below an outersurface of the tubular member.
 12. The device according to claim 11,wherein the socket is provided with a groove to accommodate the valveflange and a lock ring.
 13. The device according to claim 1, wherein thetubular member is provided with an inner lining surrounding a lowerportion of the valve.
 14. The device according to claim 13, wherein thelining is a monolithic part of the tubular member.
 15. The deviceaccording to claim 14, wherein the tubular member is provided with arecess enabling the valve to be situated below an outer surface thereof.16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the socket is orientated ina longitudinal direction inside the tubular member.
 17. The deviceaccording to claim 16, wherein a partition is arranged inside thetubular member having more than one opening therethrough to accommodatethe sockets.
 18. The device according to claim 2, wherein an insert isarranged in an area between the valve flange and tubular member.
 19. Thedevice according to claim 3, wherein an insert is arranged in an areabetween the valve flange and tubular member.
 20. The device according toclaim 4, wherein an insert is arranged in an area between the valveflange and tubular member.